Lock for differential gears.



C. E. STORM.

LOOK FOR DIFFERENTIAL GEARS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14. 1915.

LQQQQQQ. Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

Z 3 gg 70 I I f .90. w 33 JMWMW. 6......

C. E. STORM.

LOCK FOR DIFFERENTIAL GEARS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.14, 1915.

Lgggflmgo Patented Apr. 1?, 191?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CHARLES E. STORM, F TROWBRIDGE, ILLINOIS.

LUCK FOR DIFFERENTIAL GEARS.

maaaoa.

Application filed December 14, 1915. Serial No,

To all whom it may concern:

' consists in lock being applied;

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. STORM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trowbridge, in .the county of Shelby and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looks for Differential Gears, of which the following is a specification. y

y invention relates to new and useful improvements in differential gear mechanism for self-propelled vehicles, the primary object of my invention being the provision of means for locking the differential mechanism, when desired, in such a manner that the two live axle sections connected by it will rotate as a unit.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a locking mechanism which will normally look the differential mechanism and which will -when it is desirable that such mechanism be capable of operating.

A still further object of my invention consists in constructing the beveled pinions of the differential mechanism with squared hub portions against which locking rings or flanges may be moved to prevent turning of the pinions and to consequently lock the difl'erential mechanism.

A still further object of my invention providing a pair of locking members or rings having annular flange portions for engagement with the hubs of the pinions, the locking members one at either side of the pinions and being simultaneously movable toward and away from the p nions through turning move-.

ment.

In this connection, of my invention consists in the provision of means operable through turnin of the steeringwheel of the vehicle for simultaneously moving the rings toward and away from each other. v

' With these and'other objects in view, my invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and

then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part ofthis application.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical, central, longitudinal sectional view taken through a rear axlephousing and difl'erential gear mechanism, showing my invention in use, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

be automatically unlocked ceive bolts belng arranged .live axle sections 14- a still further object gears and the Patented Apr. 1?, 19117.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of thearrows;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 .ofFig.1,lookingin the direction of the arrows, the differential mechanism and live axle sections being removed t l more clearly disclose the locking mechanism andits actuating parts;

F1g.' 4 is a perspective view of the looking members or rings removed from the remainder of the mechanism;

v Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the beveled pinions of the difl'erential'mechanism;

Fig. 6 isa fragmentary top plan view, showing the actuating or controlling mechanism for the lock.

Corresponding and like parts are i-eferred to in the following description and indicated in all the views by the same reference characters.

In the drawings, reference being had particularly'to Fig. l, 10 indicates sections of the customary rear axle housing, the adjacent "ends of these ential housing 11 which has flanges to re- 12 by means of which it is connected to the axle. housing sections. As the specific construction of this rear axle and difi'erentialhousing forms no part of my present invention. further explanation thereof is believed to be unnecessary. 4 The rear axle ho ising sections 10, adjacent their inner ends, are formed with alined bearing's13 to rotatably receivethe havingthe squared inner terminals 15 which are spaced from each other and which carry the beveled gears 16 of thediflerential mechanism. The

hve axle sections 14,

any suitable type of bearings 17 to rotatably receive collars 18 having radially and inwardly extending arcuate arms 19 which are secured by bolts sections being enlarged to engage and form portions of the differof the drawings or other suitable fastening means to the op posite sides of the body portion of the beveled drive gear 20 of the diflerential mechanism. This beveled drivegear 20 is lo cated between the beveled gears 16 and concentrically disposed with respect to such axle sections 14. The drive gear 20 is also provided with bearings to receive the stub shafts 21 which carry-the beveled pinions 22, each of" which meshes with both of the beveled gears 16. These beveled pinions, beyond the periphery of the cars 16, are formed with squared hub portions 23 which are also disposed beyond the arms 19, which, together with the collars 18 and driving gear- 20, constitute the driving cage of my differential mechanism.

The locking mechanism proper for the above described differential mechanism consists primarily of a pair of locking members or rings, indicated as a whole by the numerals 24 and 25. Each of these locking members or rings includes an annular body portion 26 substantially equal in external diameter to the internal diameter of the differential mechanism housing 11 in which .it is mounted for turning movement. Each body portion 26 is provided with an inwardly directed annular locking flange 27 of such size that when the locking members are moved inwardly, the flanges 27 will engage the hub portions 23 of the pinions 22. As shown .in Fig. 1, the'locking member 24 is mounted at one side of the difierential mechanism, while the locking member 25 is mounted at, the other side.

The body portions 26 of. both locking members are formed with spaced longitudinally extending slots 28 and pins 29 are passed through these slots and into the wall of the housing 11. The slots of one locking member are reversely inclined with respect to those of the other and it will, therefore, be clear that simultaneous turning movement of the locking members in the same direction will cause them to simultaneously move toward or away from each other, according to the direction in which they are turned. Of course, when they have turned in such a manner as to move toward each other, their locking portions 27 will be moved into simultaneous engagement with the opposite flattened faces of the hub 23 of the beveled pinions 22 to lock the differential gearing in such a manner that the live axle sections will be driven together as a unit.

In order to provide means for simultaneously turning the locking members 24 and '25, the upper wall of the housing 11 is formed with bearings 30 to receive rotatable shafts 31 provided at their outer ends with crank arms 32 and at their inner ends with eccentrically mounted pinions 33. pinions mesh with rack teeth 34 formed in the outer ed es of the body portions of the locking mem ers 24 and 25, respectively, and the eccentric mounting of the pinions is such that they will constantly engage with the rack teeth during turning of the locking member and consequent movement of such members toward and away from the shafts 31. It will, of course, be clear that if the shafts 31 are simultaneously but oppositely rotated, the locking members will be simultaneously turned in the same direction.

- Links 37 These Any suitable means for properly rotating the shafts 31 to actuate their pinions may be provided and I do not wish to limit myself to any specific mechanism for this purpose. I prefer, however, that these locking members shall normally be held in locking engagement with the pinions and moved out of such engagement only when the vehicle is traveling in other than a straight line. For this reason I prefer that the release of the locking members be eflected through suitable connections between the crank arms 32 of the shafts 31 and some portion of the steering mechanism of the vehicle. For instance, in Fig. 6, I have illustrated one form of mechanism by means of which the lock may be controlled by movement of the steering column 35 of the vehicle. In this structure, a bell crank lever 36 is fixed to the steering column with its diverging arms extending rearwardly. are pivotally connected to the free ends of the arms of the bell crank lever 36 and are formed with slots 38 to slidably receive a pin coupling 39 carried by a connecting rod 40. The opposite end of this rod terminates in a head 41 and links 42 pivotally connect this head with the free ends of the crank arms 32. A spring 43 is also connected at one end to the head 41 and at its other end to any fixed object, such as the housing 11 of the differential mechanism.

As will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 6, this spring 43 tendsat all times to hold the crank arms 32 as far to the rear as permitted by the links and connecting rod connections between them and the bell crank lever carried by the steering column. It will be understood that in its normal position, the steering column or post is in the position which it occupies when the vehicle" is going straight ahead and the crank arms 32 are in the position which they occupy when the locking members are in active engagement with the hubs of the pinions 22. It will also be apparent that turning of the steering post in either direction, to cause turning of the vehicle, will pull upon the connecting rod 40 and cause simultaneous but opposite turning of the crank arms 32 and, consequently, of the pinions 33 to rotate both locking rings in the same direction and, consequently, simultaneously move them out of engagement with the pinion hubs.

Although I have illustrated and described my lnvention in all its details it will of course be understood that I do *i1ot wish to limit myself to the specific construction disclosed, as any changes, within the scope of 125 the appended claims, may be made if deemed advisable.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with a difi'erential 130 gearing including axle section receiving gears and pinions meshing with the gears cluding a locking member movable toward-- and away from the pinions, and a locking flange carried by the member for simultaneous engagement with the hub portions of the pinlons.

3. The combination with a difi erential gearing including axle section receiving gears and pinions meshing with the gears and having squared hub portions, of means movable into engagement with the squared hub portions of the pinions to lock them against turning movement, cluding a locking member movable toward and away from the pinions, a locking flange carried by the member for simultaneous engagement with the hub portions of the pinions and means for controlling the movement the locking member.

4. The combination with a difierential gearing including axle section receiving gears and pinions meshing with the gears and having angularly faced hub portions, of locking members disposed at either side of the pinions and movable into and outof engagement with the hub portions thereof. 5. The combination with a difierential gearing including axle section receiving gears and pinionsmeshing with the gears and having angularly faced hub portions, of locking members disposed at either side of the pinions and movable into and out of engagement with the hub portions thereof, and

a spring constantly tending to hold the locking members in engagement with the hubs of the pinions:

6. The combination with a housing and a differential gearing inclosed in the housing and including axle section receivinggears and pinions meshing with the gears and having squared hub portions, of annular locklng members mounted for turning movement in the housing and surrounding the differential mechanism therein, and means extending into the housing for moving the locking members toward and away from the pinions.

7. The combination with a housingand a differential gearing inclosed in the housing and including axle section receiving gears and pinions meshing with the gears and having squared hub portions, ofannular locking members mounted for turnlng movement about the axis of the differential and withln said means in-r the housing, said members being formed with diagonally disposed slots, the slots in one being reversely disposed to those in the other, pins extending fromv the housing through the slots, whereby corresponding turning of the locking members will move them both toward or away from the pinions, and means for so turning the locking members.

8. The combination with a housing and a diiferential gearing inclosed in the housing and including axle section receiving gears and pinions meshing with the gears and having squared hub portions, of annular locking members mounted for turning movement about the axis of the difierential and Within the housing, said members being formed with diagonallydisposed slots, the slots in one being reversely disposed to those in the other, pins extending from the housing through the slots, whereby corresponding turning of the locking members will move them both toward or away from the pinions, and means for so turning the locking members, said means including rack teeth formed upon the locking members, and reversely rotatable gears meshing with the racks.

9. The combination with a housing and a differential gearing inclosed and including axle section receiving gears and pinions meshing with the gears and having squared hub portions, of annular locking membersmounted for turning movement about the axis of the differential and within the Housing, said members being formed with diagonally disposed slots, the slots in one being reversely inclined to those in the other, pins extending from the housing through the slots, whereby corresponding turning of the locking members will move them both toward or away from the pinions, and means for so turning the locking members, said means including rack teeth formed on the outer edges of the locking members, eccentrically mounted gears meshing with the racks, shafts for the gears, means including a rod for reversely rotating the shafts,

' and a spring connected to the rod normally holding the gears in such position as to hold the locking members in engagement with the pinions.

10. The combination with a differential gearing including axle section receiving gears and pinions meshing with the gears and having squaredhub portions, of looking members mounted for turning movement, means for simultaneously turning the locking members, and means whereby such turning of the locking members will move them into or out of engagement with the hub portions of the pinions.

11. The combination with a differential gearing including axle section receiving gears and pinions meshlng wlth the gears in the housing a and having squared hub portions, of lock- 13.

taneously movm the locking rings towar them into and ing members mounted for turning movement, means for simultaneously turning the locking members, and means whereby such turning of the locking members will move out of engagement with the hub portions of the pinions, such means normally holding the locking members in engagement with the pinions.

12. The combination with a motor propelled vehicle having a rotatable steering post, of a differential mechanism including axle section receiving gears and pinions meshing with the gears and having squared hub portions, locking rings movable toward and away from the squared hub portions, rotatably mounted shafts, means operable upon reverse rotation of the shafts for simuland away from t e-pinions, crank arms carried by the shafts, a connecting rod, links pivotally connecting the free ends of the crank arms with one end of the rod, a spring fixed at one end and connected at the other to the rod to normally hold the latter in one position, a bell crank lever having diverging arms fixed to the steering post, links pivoted to the free ends of the arms of the lever and having their free ends slotted, and a pin carried by the connecting rod and engaging in the slots of the links, whereby turning of the post in either direction will pull forthe spring.

wardly uponthe rod against the tension of 13.,The combination with a difierential gearing including axle section receiving gears and pinions meshing with the gears,

of a locking ring encircling an axle section receiving gear and movable into direct fricd -t ional' engagement with-all the pinions to hold them against turning movement.

In testimony'whereof, I aliix my signature.

.CHABLES E. STORM. [1. s.] 

